Money Moral Dilemma: Should I charge for countersigning my friends' passport photos?

finchill

I’m a nurse, I have never and would never dream of charging anyone for countersigning! How could you call yourself a friend and charge someone for not even 3 minutes of your time? Do you send them a bill at the end of a night out too? ��

unholyangel

Lorian wrote: »

Anyone of "good standing in their community" can sign.

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

Yes, but typically that means someone whose credentials can be checked and who would be taking a professional risk if found to be endorsing fraudulent applications. It's just to cover the fact the list isn't exhaustive.

FWIW though, the list (although not exhaustive) is quite extensive. I'd be surprised if people didn't know at least a few people of those professions. Of course knowing and knowing well enough are different. I've signed for a few friends but I've also declined to sign for others. Such as my friends boyfriend, who I've met precisely twice.

Although it should be noted there are other requirements also. Not just the professional/good standing requirement.

me4bargains

I can countersign passports and I wouldn't dream of charging friends to do so.
My hairdresser once asked me to countersign her boyfriend's passport and I said NO because I don't know him.
I would only countersign a friend I have known for many years but wouldn't dream of charging them.
Wow I can't believe this is even being considered

XRAT

I was a police officer for a long time too.
There was never a problem signing to verify that you had known someone for over two years, but since you would be signing in your capacity as a police officer.., accepting a gratuity, let alone asking for one, would have made it a very short career!
But then again they had recruiting standards once upon a time, uniforms instead of overalls and more police officers than today, with fewer citizens.
Too many law makers, too few law enforcers.

RDA

Absolutely not.


I am a Justice of the Peace and never charge for this service.


Why would you?

c_j_2

1) these are your friends or people you know on a personal level ! I can't believe you would even consider charging them !
2) that would then become, however silly it sounds , a source of income that would have to be declared to your force
3) despite other professions doing this , for a police officer to take money in this manner is highly unprofessional

Kim_kim

I sign the odd passport for friends and their children - it’s never occurred to me to charge for my 5 minutes and a bit of ink!!

Do you charge your friends for a cup of tea if they visit or petrol money if they get a lift with you?

TheFaqqer

Since you can only sign for someone you know, I never charge for the time and effort it takes to do it.

I asked the head teacher to sign for one of my children and he said that he'd charge £15 for it (which he told me at the governor's meeting where I had just agreed to buy school supplies worth £300!) so I just asked her class teacher who did it for free.

I made a mistake on one that I did so I ended up getting a new blank form, copying all the details over, signing it and then explaining that they needed to sign that one again since it wasn't complete!

Don't charge - they are a friend. Be friendly.

Augustus_the_Strong

If you want to have fewer friends, yes, charge. But it sounds like you already have more than you want, if you're worried about being overrun by requests.

Hannimal

I never knew GPs charged for this. I bet they don't charge their friends.

I recently got my UK citizenship. I am a doctor and I asked my other doctor friends to sign. None of them asked for money. I would've been pretty offended had they. We are friends after all.